Tips for Keeping Your Workout Schedule

I came across this e-mail in my inbox a few weeks ago, all though I was in my slump and off my healthy wagon at that time and never did post it right away.  Now that I am getting back into the grove of things AGAIN, I have take some of these tips and used them in my exercise portion of my journey.  I thought it might be a great article to pass along to all you guys too.  Many of blogger friends, might already have read this if they follow the new Weight Watchers Program, and if so I am sorry for bothering you again with it.  just remember if we can figure out helpful tips and tricks to keep our already busy life's in order with our weight loss journey, its only going to help us all that more!

10 Tips for Keeping Your Workout Schedule

Article By: Sally Bevan

 

Excuse-proof your workout by getting organised and scheduling in fitness.
Isn't it funny that the moment you decide to exercise, something always gets in the way? Mom stops by. The kids need help with their homework. The dog ate your running shoes. Maybe it's time to organise your exercise?

Make life easy for yourself.
Plan a regimen that fits with your lifestyle. If you work irregular hours, for example, don't sign up for classes that start at the same time each week. Instead, choose activities that can be easily slotted into your day: Walk the kids to school or run errands on foot during your lunch hour.

Draw up a weekly timetable.
To help you organise your time properly, draw up a weekly timetable of planned exercises and activities. This will also help you see how much activity you're getting. Try to do something for at least 20 minutes each day, even if it's just yard work or going on a brisk walk around the neighbourhood.

Attach exercise to a treat.
Give yourself a reward for scheduling in fitness. Buy flowers once a week for completing all of the workouts you scheduled. You can also attach exercise to an enjoyable event, such as playing with your kids in the park or catching up with a friend on a walk.

Get everyone else on board.
Make sure your family and friends know when and where you plan to exercise. This way you shouldn't get any unwelcome interruptions. If you need someone to watch the kids while you exercise, make sure you arrange this well in advance; don't rely on last-minute favours.

Anticipate motivational dips.
Everyone struggles with motivation from time to time, preparing for these feelings can go a long way to combating them. For instance, if you sometimes struggle to go to your aerobics class, get a friend to call you to make sure you're not still sitting on the sofa.

Avoid danger zones.
Many things can distract even the most hardened of exercisers: your favourite TV show, the lure of a night on the town with friends, or a neighbour popping in for an impromptu chat. Learn to recognise your particular "danger zones" and take steps to negotiate your way around them.

Buy figure-flattering workout clothing.
You don't want to look like a sack of potatoes when you're exercising. Spend money on well-designed, flattering and supportive gym clothes; you'll be more motivated to work out.

Have a specially designated drawer for fitness fare.
When you're in hurry, the last thing you want is to be hunting around for your gym socks. Keep all your exercise clothes in a special drawer so you can find them quickly.

Leave your gym bag by the door.
Always leave your gym bag by the door. This serves two purposes: one, so you always know where it is; and two, it serves as a gentle reminder that an exercise session might be due.

Put your gym clothes straight into the wash.
And last but not least, when you get back from the gym or pool, put your dirty clothes straight in the washer. Nothing is guaranteed to put you off exercising more than having to rummage around in the laundry basket for a semi-clean pair of gym socks!

Portions

So I have come to the conclusion that I need to learn portion control!  I have figured out the healthy eating for the most part, but I still seem to be stuck at the same weight.  Even while exercising!  So here is my thought......

How about I really start to weigh and measure my food in take! Hmm who would think that would help?  Ya, ya I know, I started on weight watchers I should know all about this.  But like alot of people, I was good at it for the first few weeks and then started to slack on it and well now I just plain old don't even try.  Not a good way to go.

Sure I eat healthier and more home made food but when you eat a cup and a half of green beans fancied up, when a serving of green beans is only..... Ha half a cup!  Yeppers, I just looked it up to make sure (Canada's Food Guide).  This is where I am going wrong, it might be good food I am shoveling into my mouth but not the correct amount. 

So my goal for the rest of this week and from now on, is to watch my portions.  How much I am really putting on my plate to eat.  I have printed off the Canada Food Guide, some quick references and tips and have posted theses bad boys on my cupboard door.  So there is no reason why I don't check now.  I have dug the measuring cups and spoons out (not they were not used for cooking before).  Now theses pretty little things will also be used for... my portions!  And the food scale has been wiped clean of its dust and is ready to go.

Some how, some way... I am going to beat this blob of weight, one day it will happen!

My time is flying!

So I realized I haven't blogged in a few days :(  I am sorry.  I have been busy the last while trying to catch up on paper work for the daycare, cleaning my basement up (that's what happens when you let a bunch of kids down there by themselves!  They say "yes" why you asked them if they have cleaned up, although they didn't really!).

I was talking with my dear mommy yesterday (not that that is anything new, as we talk almost daily) and we decided that we were both going to try our hardest to lose 20 pounds by our birthday (1: June 4th, 2: we both have the same birthday date, we are just 25 years apart!).  Oh sorry mom, that might give your age away, hehehe!  So with that being said June is just over 3 months away.  I think 20 pounds is more then do able for the both of us.  I am excited to do this, and if I get there, I plan on buying a new outfit for my birthday...... I really want to hit 25 pounds though, that would take me out of the 200's and I haven't been out of this for a while now.

So this weeks weigh in was OK, I can't complain I did lose, just not what I wanted to.  I guess those few nights of a bowl of ice cream and peanuts sure didn't help, nor did my indulgent in 4 granola bars (Why?) . But after thinking about what I did last week and the lack of the exercise I was doing........ I guess I can be some what happy.

The last few days I have found a nice exercise routine for me though.  In the mornings I try to get a good 30 minutes of Wii Fit in and then in the evenings after my kidlets have gone to bed, I aim to get 1200 punches in, in boxing and which equals to be about a half hour for me.  After that I aim for another half hour of either step ups or my resistant band work outs.  I "stole" my mother exercise ball from her a few weeks ago and have tryed it a few times, but can't seem to get the hang of it, I will keep trying from time to time.  Does anyone have some of their own favorite exercises they do with their balls....... wow, that doesn't sound right!!!  Oh yes I should get my mind out of the gutter, I'm sorry again!

Today's weight: 223.8
Starting weight: 245
1 st goal: 220.5

Weigh in and a little more

So this morning was weigh in........ the results didn't change from yesterday :(  But I am not going to sulk over what the scale is telling me this week.  I see it and I am going to move on  no pity party this time.  It's a gain like I said in last nights post Wine and Dine  but just cause I am up does not mean that I am not on track.  Our bodies can do some funny things to us, I know personally this time, I didn't cheat, I exercised, and I was getting more water in (not enough yet, but its finally coming to me). 

This week I will continue eating healthy.  I still have a bad habit of skipping meals, I have done this for a good 15 years now, its not going to change over night, not when I have been doing the same thing over and over again for that long.  But it is coming, just like my water intake (that will be another post to come!). 

I am loving my Wii exercises but I was thinking last night, I can't just rely on the wii, sure it gets me moving and its fun at the same time, but I need to get in my mind that I have to do more then that.  This week I would like to get back into my resistance band workout and maybe some exercises on the ball.  I am not to sure what those exercise balls are really called, but I got one from my mommy last week, and well I haven't used it yet.  I am going to this week.  No, its not going sit in my basement and collect dust or be another toy for the kids to play with.  I am going to use it. 

I have a dear dear friend that keeps my spirits up when needed, gives my motivation to keep going (hell she was the one that was able to get me started) and some amazing tips on every aspect of weight loss, exercises, and nutrition.  She has told me a few times now, that I really should get a "starting" picture and keep taking some along the way, it will keep one motivated to see the changes.  She also said that I should take my measurements, not that it has to be every week but once or twice a month even. This way, if you have a bad number on the scale one week you can see that you might not have lost weight, but you might have lost inches along the way. I had thought of this before, but my problem was having to get them done in the first place.  So last night I finally broke down and asked the hubby for help doing these tasks that I was dreading.  Wow, scary numbers(see below of stats).....  I have never liked my photo being taken, because lets face it, I knew I was fat, so why did I want to see myself in a photo.  Why should anyone else have that memory of looking back at pictures and seeing this massive person in a picture.  But I am hoping with enough work one day maybe I wont mind having that picture taken with the kids or the husband.

So here are my scary stats, I don't mind it you all gasp for a breath after you read each number.  I did when the hubby told me what they were.  Hell I am pretty sure he picked me off the floor with a few of them.

Feb 2011

Arms ~ 15 1/8 inches
Chest ~ 43 3/4 inches (that's under the boobs, but I don't have anything there to worry about so I could probably measure them and have damn near the same number!)
Waist ~ 49 inches  (GASP)!!!! Yeppers that's where he picked me up off the floor
Hips ~ 46 3/4 inches
Thighs ~ 26 inches   (another, holy f@#$ from me with this number)

Weight ~ 224.6 pounds
This week ~ up 1.8
1st goal ~ 220.5 pounds
Starting ~ 245 pounds

4684....

OK, I am sorry for not posting yesterday.  I was kinda a busy day for me with no help that I am use to in the evenings.  My husband had to start work early today so instead of leaving the house at 3:30 AM this morning, he just stayed in the city last night.  I guess that's one of the downfalls of living in a small town and working in the city, but we made it through the evening just the kidlets and I.  With that being said, I didn't make no fancy supper cause I knew the kids wouldn't eat what I had planned so I thought I would save the recipe for another day.  Instead we had Octopus's and seaweed.  No, it was not the real stuff!!! (Like hell, I would eat either of those! And I wouldn't make my kids either, if they want to try else where they can go right ahead, but those 2 things are on my don't buy list!)  The octopuses where hot dogs cut in half and then one end cut in quarters and boil them (I am not a fan of hot dogs boiled so I skipped these!) and the sea weed was spaghetti cooked and I added some green food coloring to the water to make it look kinda like the real stuff.  My kids thought this was one of the greatest meals ever. 

So I was thinking yesterday about my blog (should have been writing, I know....I am sorry!).  I think I might start posting my recipes only once a week instead of daily.  Looking over my own blog I think it would just make it easier for the reader and myself.  I will still try and post my daily meals, but some time on the weekend I will write a full post of all the recipes I used.  If there is ever something one of you comes across and would like the recipe sooner, please feel free to contact me at ashleymvipond@hotmail.com and I will be more then happy to send it your way. 

Now, one more thing before I head off for a while.  My work outs yesterday...... When I got up yesterday morning I didn't want to do a work out, I wasn't going either.  Then I came to my computer and started reading my blogs I follow daily.  Well they surely inspired me and instead of finishing the read then, I went and got changed into my work out clothes and did 45 minutes on the Wii Fit.  After the work out was done, I did come and finish reading every ones posting!!!!! So I just want to thank you all for the inspiration, whether you know it or not, reading your blogs helps me alot.  Now for my evening work out, again I wasn't really planning on working out last night but I got some inspiration from a T.V. show this time.  I started watching I Use To Be Fat , on MTV.  Wow, its the first time I have seen it, I am not one to watch MTV a whole lot, seems how my TV is on kids shows all day long and then in the evening I seem to be to busy to watch much else.  Anyways, back to my point here.  This show is about young teens tyring to lose weight, from what I have gathered from the 2 shows I watched last night is that they have about 100 days with a trainer and they work their ass off to lose the weight.  They are taught how to eat correctly, how to deal with emotions and how to exercise right.  So after watching about 25 minutes of the first show, I felt the need to exercise.  I was thinking what I could do so I was still able to watch the rest of this show.  So I broke out the Wii fit balance board, my runners, and my pedometer, and decided I was doing to keep doing step ups till the end of the show.  And that's what I did.  I know these step ups aren't as high as some exercise ones but still after 10 minutes I was ready to give up, but I pushed my way through it and kept going till the end, a whole 35  minutes and a hell of a lot of sweat.  When I took off my pedometer I was surprised to see I did well over 4000 steps, actually it was 4684.  I was thinking maybe 500, but nope I was wrong.  I guess when I got into the rhythm of the steps and the show at the same time, I kinda forgot about how much I was really doing.  All I know is that I was excited when I seen that big number.

The Wii

On Sunday while I was in the city I finally broke down and bought a Wii.  Both my husband and I are not big gaming people and we both have the same mind set that we don't want our children to be sitting in front of the t.v. for hours on end playing games either.  I rather have them outside running around (that's when its warm enough, it wont be happening today that for sure, its -41C out there this morning. (and once again I am for Canada, eh!  so that is Celsius not Fahrenheit)), or doing something with their imaginations inside, like crafts or playing with their toys.  Anyways on with my point!  I broke down and bought one after alot of pondering on it.  We thought at least the Wii gets us and the children moving while we are using it, we aren't just sitting there. 

Last night I hooked the system up and my husband and I tried some of the Wii Sports Resort and the Wii Fit Plus.  I enjoyed it, I must say that.  Not to good at alot of the games yet but time might come for some of them.  You see I have this inability to move my left arm and my right leg at the same time in different directions (and vise versea for the other side).  I have tried a number of work out videos that all seem to have these moves in them too.  I just can't do it, no matter how hard I try or even how slow I try.  I know I'm a gimp, I will be the first to admit it!  And I also can't seem to figure out step movements when doing... lets say a step class.  I just can't do it, tried it last night and again this morning and its a no go at this time. 

Through trying out a number of the games though I came to really like a few already.  The hula hooping is great, the free run, and some of the balancing ones.  I also like the biking and boxing with the Resort Plus.  Like I just mentioned both the hubby and I did some last night and after he left for work this morning, instead of sitting down on the couch and dosing off for a little longer I got my butt in move and put the games on again and did some more work outs.  I actually ran, no we will say jogged 10 minutes at once without stopping.  I was about 4 minutes into this free run game when I was ready to quit.  But I then thought to myself I can't, if I quit I wont know how many calories I just burned, and well I really like that part of the Wii Fit.  You do the work out and afterwards it lets you know how much you just burned. 

I came to one more final conclusion though.  If I want to actually work out and not play around on the Wii, I will not be doing it around my husband!  He can be a pain in the butt while you are trying to do it.  Not that he is trying to hinder my progress at all and I don't think he really realizes that he is getting in the road and on my nerves.  But when you are trying to concentrate on what you are suppose to be doing and trying to work hard at something and there is someone pinching you butt, snapping your panty line or bra and just plain old blabbing away at you about something totally off topic.  It just wasn't working for me, not when I was wanting to work out, I just want to do my thing and be left alone.  Its OK when I am not in it for the work out but just to have fun.  I think my work out with the Wii, will continue to be done in the mornings after he leaves for work!!!

Day one and off of routine already!!!

Now I started out my day a little slow, the routine wasn't in place this morning!  I don't think I slept more then an hour last night and I really don't know why.  So once I did fall asleep I didn't want to get up right away to that alarm going off at 4:45 AM.  So there was no work out this morning, but once I got my butt in move everything was falling into place pretty good.  I am so excited to start these meals this week, they all sound so good to me.  So any ones that I like I will add to my daily blog.  Please note though that all lunch meals are not Weight Watcher friendly (totally) or low in fat.  My lunch meals are geared towards children's tastes not adults, although they are usually really good still. 

Breakfast:Hand full of mixed nuts and Coffee w/sugar X 3

AM Snack: Coffee w/sugar X 3

Lunch:  Cheesy Hamburger-Roni (see recipe below)  Strawberries or Grapes, 100% juice


PM Snack: Coffee w/sugar X 4

Supper: Spicy Steak, Red Mint Potatoes (see recipes below), Salad and yogurt with a chocolate zucchini muffin

Cheesy Hamburger-Roni

Recipe from Kid Approved Meals

Ingredients:


1 pkg macaroni noodles, cooked and drained
1 lb hamburger, browned and drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can of milk
½ tsp seasoning blend
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Mix together soup, milk and seasoning in a large pot. Stir in noodles and beef. Cook over
medium high heat until heated through. During final minutes of cooking time, stir in
grated cheese.

~this would make quite a bit so I cut all ingredients in half because I only had myself and 2 children to cook for today! 

Spicy Steak ( we like spicy food and this wasn't that spicy but very, very good!)
Recipe from Wovenfare

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar (I didn't have apple cider vinegar, so I used 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup of water)
2 table spoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of curry paste (1: you find curry paste in the Asian food section of your grocery store. 2: this is where if you are a spicy kinda person to add more I would even try 2 teaspoons)
1 clove of garlic minced
1 table spoon of olive oil
2 4 to 5 ounce steaks

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients except steak, trimmed fat off of steak.  Pearce steak a few times on each side with a fork.  Place in mixture and let sit for 10 minutes.  In the mean time hot frying pan with oil or cooking spray.  Add steak to heated pan and cook to your liking.  Just at the end add the rest of your seasoning mixture and re coat the steak for added flavor.  Serve the remaining sauce over the steak once plated.

Mint Red Potatoes
Recipe from Wovenfare

Ingredients:

6 to 8 red potatoes
large handful of fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon for butter

Directions:

Clean potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes (I left skin on them, but you can do what you want).  Add to pot cover with water and add mint leaves.  Cook until soft and drain, add butter and shake pot to coat potatoes.  Now I don't know if you were suppose to take the mint leave out when you serve the potatoes or not but I did. 

I wasn't to sure about these at first but I thought hey lets give it a try!  I am always tell my daughter that she has to try new food besides Kraft dinner, so why shouldn't I?  To my surprise they were really good.  Not a strong mint taste to them at all, just a nice little flavor to them.  I really liked them, it was a good change to normal potatoes. 



Quote of the day:

You have to stay in shape.  My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60.  She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is.
~Ellen Degeneres

Not really one to think about a whole lot, but I sure though it was cute.  I am hoping to keep you up to date on my quote calendar I have made for myself.  Some of them will make you think and others are just for a good giggle.

I am off to try to set up our new Wii.  And maybe try to get some exercising in tonight too.  I will keep you all posted on my efforts!

Resistance Work Out

I have had a few question on what my restriction band was and how it worked.  So I thought I would write a quick blog about it.

A Pilate's restriction band is a heavy duty rubber band to which you wrap around a sturdy pole (or for me my open back steps) and it works some what like a universal exercise machine.  Now don't get me wrong here.... it will not be the exact same workout but you are about to do lungs, crunches, flys, pull downs, squats, etc.  The more more to pull and stretch your band the more Resistance there is on it.  So the strong you get the farther away you stand from your stationary pole and the more resistance you will receive.

I enjoy the restriction band because it doesn't take up any room like a exercise machine does (cause I don't have any room to spare in my house!). Yet you still have so many potions for doing different exercises, you are not limited to just one thing.

My band came with a 78" extension bar that you can hook on to the band and use it with out a pole for squats, lungs, up right pulls, and shoulder presses.  Its amazing!! That's all I have to say.

I found a great website that I use to do a lot of my sets from : Band workouts  and I also use the workout sheet that came with the band.  I say for anyone who doesn't have a lot space in their house or whom might just be starting out exercising (like myself!)  its the best investment, OK one of the best investments.  You can pick up these band just about anywhere.  I got mine from good old Walmart and its was around $20.00 I believe.